Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has declared three days of national mourning and directed that national flags be flown at half-mast following the deaths of Nigerian Air Force personnel in an aircraft crash in Ondo State.
The directive follows Monday’s crash of an Air Force ATR-42 aircraft near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, Ondo State, with Tinubu describing the incident as a painful moment for the Armed Forces and the country.
“I have declared three days of national mourning and directed that our flags be flown at half-mast throughout the country in honour of those we have lost,” the President stated.
Tinubu paid tribute to the personnel who died, describing them as members of the Armed Forces who had put their lives on the line in service to the country.
The President also directed the Nigerian Air Force to investigate the cause of the crash and determine the circumstances that led to the loss of the aircraft and those aboard.
The number of people who died in the crash has, however, become a point of discrepancy between official accounts.
The Nigerian Air Force subsequently released the names of 25 people who died in the crash, comprising five crew members and 20 passengers.
The list identifies Squadron Leader MI Aburime as the flight captain, with Squadron Leader AP Man-Ugwueje and Flight Lieutenant IS Bako listed as co-pilots. Warrant Officer Abubakar A and Corporal Uguru HC were identified as aircraft technicians.
The 20 passengers named by the Air Force were Flight Lieutenant TL Lazarus, Flight Lieutenant M Akinloye, Flying Officer IM Adeshina, Master Warrant Officer Onwuka F, Master Warrant Officer Matini BA, Warrant Officer Nuhu FS, Flight Sergeant James RB, Flight Sergeant Mohammed AI, Sergeant Ani AE, Sergeant Izibenikien SI, Sergeant Alafuka C, Sergeant Mbadugha AN, Lance Corporal Ugwuba FC, Lance Corporal Eledan GE, Mrs Ezeh Nneka, Godstmine Tarabina, Joy Micheal, Sunday Micheal, Ukeme David and Gideon Omotola.
The Air Force’s figure differs from the initial account provided by Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister Festus Keyamo, who said 32 people, 25 passengers and seven crew members, were aboard the aircraft when it crashed.
The Presidency also referred to 32 people in its initial statement on the incident, creating a discrepancy that has yet to be fully explained by the authorities.
The aircraft, identified as an ATR-42 with tail number NGR 931, was travelling from Benin to Lagos when it lost contact with air traffic controllers at about 9:13 a.m. on Monday.
Attempts to establish contact with the aircraft by radio were unsuccessful before the wreckage was located near the Naval Base in Igbokoda.
The Nigerian Air Force disclosed the aircraft was conducting a routine mission when the crash occurred, while search and rescue efforts were launched following the loss of contact.
The cause of the crash remains unknown, with the investigation ordered by President Tinubu expected to establish what happened and whether any technical or operational factors contributed to the incident.
The three-day mourning period is intended to honour the personnel who lost their lives while serving the country, as the military begins the process of investigating the crash and the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
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